Patriots could turn to trade deadline to add running back

The Patriots could use another running back, in the wake of Antonio Gibson's season-ending injury. They may have to take action at the trade deadline in order to get their guy.

Reports are starting to circulate across the league about what teams need and what they may be exploring the market to acquire, with the Nov. 4 trade deadline fast approaching. The Patriots continue to come up in recent trade rumors as a team looking at getting a running back, which makes perfect sense. Rhamondre Stevenson has been fumbling and playing tentatively as a result, while rookie TreVeyon Henderson has struggled to produce throughout the season despite getting a fair share of touches. Beyond those two, their only other options are practice squad backs Terrell Jennings and Jashaun Corbin.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler is one NFL insider who seems to have heard about the Patriots' interest in a running back trade from multiple front office people around the league. Jets RB Breece Hall is being bandied about as a trade candidate, whether to New England or elsewhere, and Fowler is in on that possibility. Mike Reiss also mentioned Hall when talking about potential trade targets with 98.5 The Sports Hub's Zolak & Bertrand on Tuesday.

Here's the nugget in question from Fowler, regarding the Patriots and Hall:

Another NFL insider recently threw a little cold water on this idea. Albert Breer of The MMQB said Thursday on Zolak & Bertrand that while a Hall trade makes sense, he doesn't see the Jets as likely to make that move in the first place, let alone with the Patriots.

Breer also said, however, that the Patriots would be interested in trading for a back if it meets certain criteria. The player coming back would have to be more of a long-term option than a rental, ie. not in the final year of his contract. The second scenario is a pick swap, which is often a rental type of player, but one that could be had for a minimal cost of draft capital.

Another running back name to watch is the Browns' Jerome Ford. He's only on a one-year deal with Cleveland, so he'd arrive to the Patriots as a short-term answer. But Ford has become expendable, after the Browns selected Quinshon Judkins in the second round and Dylan Sampson in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Ford has gotten only 38 touches through six games in 2025 for the Browns, who come to Foxborough to face the Patriots in Week 8, nine days before the trade deadline.

If the Patriots prefer a veteran running back with an extra year of team control, two names from struggling NFC teams are worth monitoring: the Saints' Alvin Kamara and the Giants' Devin Singletary. But it would be fair to wonder if those guys would block Henderson's path to production, after the Pats drafted him 38th overall, clearly with visions of making him a critical piece of their offense.

The Pats don't necessarily need to make a big, aggressive move to add a running back, but they do need a body, and preferably one with appreciable NFL experience. That is, unless they're comfortable with the possibility of Jennings getting meaningful snaps at some point, in what's becoming an increasingly important season.

We'll keep you covered with Patriots trade rumors as they surface here at 985TheSportsHub.com.